Improvement in rotary steam-engines



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ALPHEUS C. GALLAHUE, OF MORRISANIA, NEW YORK, ASISIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND DAVID GILLISPIE, OF NEW YORK CITY.

Letters Patent No. 89,650, dated Ma/y 4, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROTARY STEAM-ENGINES.

-HQH- The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it 'may concern c Be it known that I, ALPHnUs C. GALLAHUE, of Morrisania, in the county of Westchester, and State of New York, haveinvented a new and improved Rotary-Steam-Engine; and I do hereby declare that the 'following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same', reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to a-usefnl improvement in steam-engines, and is conned to the class known as rotary engines; and

It consists in such a construction and arrangement of the parts that a continuous action of the steam upon the piston is obtained, and a uniform rotary motion is produced on the main shaft, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying plate of drawings- Figure 1 represents an-edge view of the engine, with a part of the shell broken away in order to show the piston and a portion of the revolving wheel.

Figure 2 is a side view, also partly in section, to show the piston and wheel, and sliding abutment, and

'the valve-movement.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the foundation-plate.

B isthe shell, which, with the revolving steam- .wheel'0, (which wheel is attached to the shaft forms The piston is a rectangular-shaped block, which fits -the groove in the wheel transversely, as seen in iig. 2,

so that its outer-grooved edge only needs packing t form a steam-tight joint iu the cylinder.v

G is the sliding abutment.' This abut-ment is snitably supported by the shell B by means of a stand, H, and is arranged to slide up and down and form the cylinder F as the pistou revolves.

The abutment'is raised from the cylinder' so as to let the piston pass by a cam which is' fixed to one side of the wheel, as seen in dotted lilies at I. This cam, as it revolves, raises the end of a horizontal bar, which is seen in dotted lines in iig. 2 at J, attached to a rockshaft K. The end of it is also seen in iig. 1, as is also an edge View of the cam I. This bar J is connected with the abutment C by the curved bar L.

m is a pin, which passes through the abutment andis fixed to the stand H. It has a broad head, which confines the abutment to the stand.

, n is a slot in the abutment, which allows the abutment to play up and down.

When the abutment has been raised and the cam has ceased to operate on the bar. J, it is forced down by a spiral spring, o, which reacts against the cap of the stand, as seen in the drawing; or it maybe forced down by any other suitable device.

The arrangement ofthe cam, in regard to the piston, is such that the abutment is raised at every revolution, so as to allow the piston to pass, when it is immediately forced down into the cylinder again, as before stated, and the piston is ready tov take steam.

P represents the steam-chest.

This steam-chest has a slide-valve, which is actuated by an eccentric, R, on the main shaft S.

T is the eccentric-rod. As seen inthe drawing, the

engine is ready to take steam. i

The steam reacts against the abutment, and drives the piston nearly a whole revolution', or until it passes the exhaust-pipe Iu, and is ready to again pass the abutment, and take steam, unless the steam is previously cut oif.

U represents the pipe, which conveys the steam from the boiier to the steam-chest.

The slide-valve is arranged to cut on" the steam at any part of the revolution.

The engine is readily arranged for reversing the motion, so as to adapt it to steamboats and locomotives.

The main shaft is supported by the shell of the en gine, by means of thel transverse bars W, upon each side of the engine, on which the shaft has its bearings.

The joint between the wheel O and the shell may be provided with packing-rings, or any other suitable adjustable packing-device for insuring a tight joint.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The arrangement of cam I, arm J, pivoted bar L, with the abutment G, and flanged cylinder O, and the piston D, as herein set forth. l

2. The arrangement of the flanged cylinder O, carrying the piston D, with reference to the construction of the case B, as herein set-forth.

3. The arrangement of the steam-chest P, with its ,slide-valve, and the ingress and egress-ports, whereby the abutment Gis enabled to move at the proper given time, soas to avoid the pressure of steam therein, as herein set forth.

y ALPHEUS O. GALLAHUE. Witnesses:

FRANK BLooKLEY, ALEX. F. RoBnn'rs. 

